Ventilator.



No. 699,0l6. Patented Apr. 29, I902. R. E. RUDOLPH.

VENTILATOR'.

(Application filed July 20, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented Apr. 29, I902,

R. E. RUDOLPH.

'VENTILATOR.

:Application filed July 20, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Medal.)

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wi/lwmoe NITED STATES LATENT @nmcn.

VENTILATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,016, dated April 29, 1902.

Application filed July 20, 1901. Serial Ila 69,110. (N0 model.)

To ctZl whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERTEARL RUDOLPH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paducah, in the county of McOracken and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ventilators, of which thefollowing is a specification. 1

This invention relates to ventilators, being especially adapted for use in connection with hothouses and the like, the object in view being to provide simple, convenient, and reli able mechanism for enabling the glass sashes or windows to be easily and quickly opened or closed partially or wholly irrespective of the dimensions of the sashes.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide means for accurately counterbalancing the weight of the sash or sashes, thereby removing the burden of strain from the operating mechanism, which may be manipulated without great effort for adj usting the sashes. In well-kept hothouses it is frequently necessary to adjust the sashes owing to sudden and frequent changes ,i the weather and temperature, audit is therefore important to provide means whereby the sashes may be easily manipulated at frequent intervals.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure] is a view in elevation of the window or sash setting mechanism. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the counterbalancing mechanism. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the setting mechanism, taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section on the line 4: 4 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In illustrating the present invention it has not been considered necessary to go into a description or illustration ofa hothouse; but it may be stated that the present means are designed for use in connection with the windows or sashes which form the roof or a portion of the roof of a hothouse.

In carrying out the present invention I employ a horizontal overhead shaft 10, which is usually arranged within the hothouse and adjacent to the apex of the roof or beneath the sash or sashes to be adjusted. The shaft 10 is by preference made hollow or constructed of a piece of tubing of the requisite size and gage, the said shaft being provided at suitable intervals with arms 11, which have pivotally attached thereto connecting-rods 12, which at their opposite ends connect pivotally with the sashes, so that when the arms 11 are vibrated in turning the shaft 10 said sashes will be raised or lowered.

In order to rock or turn the shaft 10, I provide suitable setting mechanism, which consists of a sprocket wheel 13, fast on the shaft 10 and operated by means of a sprocket-chain 14, which extends downward and passes over a'sprocket-pinion 15, arranged within reach of the operator standing on the ground. The sprocket-pinion 15 is mounted fast onan operating-shaft 16, provided with an operating crank-handle 17, whereby the pinion 15 may be turned. The shaft 16 is journaled in bearings in a bracket 18, which is mounted on a standard 19, the lower end of which is supported in a socket-piece 20, secured to the floor or ground, and the upper end of which is by preference connected with the shaft 10 and provided with a bearing 21, in which said shaft is journaled.

The bracket 18 is composed of sections bolted or otherwise clamped together on opposite sides of the standard, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, whereby the bracket may be adj usted up and down on the standard and fixed at any desired elevation. The bracket is further provided with an offstanding lug 22, provided with a vertical opening through which passes a bolt 23, constituting a brake or looking device, the lower end of said bolt being adapted to engage the teeth of the sprocketpinion 15 for holding the latter from rotating after the sashes have been properly set. locking-bolt 23 is provided at its upper end with a handle 24, whereby it may be raised and lowered for moving the lower end thereof into and out of engagement with the teeth of the sprocket-wheel 15.

In order to relieve the setting mechanism, I provide suitable counterbalancing mechan- The ism, and it may here be stated that any desired number of counterbalancing devices may be employed, according to the length of the sash and the number of sashes which it is desired to simultaneously lift.

Each counterbalancing device comprises parallel vertical guides 25, preferably consistin g of lengths of tubing, the lower ends of which are supported in socket-pieces 26, fastened to the floor or ground, and the upper ends of which are provided with bearings 27 for the shaft 10. The guides 25 may be connected at suitable intervals in their height by means of cross-braces 28.

Slidingly mounted on the guides 25 is a weight 29,havinglaterally-projecting grooved ears 30, which partially embrace the guides, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. Connected with the weight 29 is a cable 31, preferably composed of wire, the upper end thereof being connected with and wound upon a drum 32 on a horizontally-disposed shaft 33, journaled in bearings 34 on the guides 25. The shaft 33 has fast thereon a spur-pinion 35, which meshes with and drives a spur gearwheel 36, mounted fast on the shaft 10 and adjustable to any desired point thereon by means of a set-screw 37.

The weight 29 is proportionate to the weight of the Window or sash to be opened and closed, so that said weight will operate to hold the sash at any desired adjustment, maintaining the sash at the point to which it is adjusted.

By means of the counterbalancing mechanism described the strain and burden of the sash or sashes are removed from the setting mechanism, so that the operating-crank 17 may be manipulated with slight effort.

By means of the construction hereinabove described it will be seen that the windows or sashes maybe partially or wholly opened and closed with ease and rapidity, a very important item when it is considered that the sashes of hothouses must of necessity be frequently adjusted, owing to rapid changes in the weather and temperature. The mechanism described is of such a simple character that frequent lubrication is unnecessary, thus economizing in the use of oil.

I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction hereinabove set forth, and accordingly reserve the right to change, modify, or vary the construction within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

In ventilators,the combination with an overhead main shaft having a spur gear-wheel thereon; of parallel vertical guides having bearing at their upper ends in which the shaft is journaled, a horizontal shaft journaled in bearings on the guides beneath the said main shaft, a spur-pinion on said lower shaft meshing with the said spur gear-wheel, a drum fixed on said lower shaft, a weight slidably mounted on the said guides, a flexible connection between the said drum and weight, and means for rocking the said main shaft. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT EARL RUDOLPH.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH MATTIsoN, GUY H. RUDOLPH. 

